Apple is Reorganizing the App Store for the iPad Launch

Apple is reorganizing the App Store with new eBook categories and application flags in anticipation of the iPad launch.

According to Forbes, Busted Loop uncovered the information as part of its new AppSlice project, which aims to help customers locate the best applications.

Apple has reportedly designated about 20 "top-level" categories for books, including "Fiction & Literature", "Reference," "Romance," "Cookbooks" and "Comics & Graphic Novels." Below those categories lie more than 150 sub-categories, including some very specific genres, such as "Manga" under "Comics & Graphic Novels," "Special Ingredients" under "Cookbooks," and "Etiquette" under "Reference." Some sub-categories, such as "Fantasy" and "Science Fiction & Literature," even have sub-sub-categories ("Historical" and "Paranormal," for example.) There are also two sections for "Erotica" books; one under "Fiction & Literature" and one under "Romance."


AppSlice data indicates that only 16,700 iPhone apps have been certified as iPad-compatible so far. Applications appear to be given iPad approval if they perform an optional iPad compatibility test during the app upgrade process. It's not clear if Apple will "bump up" the remaining apps before the iPad launches.

According to Busted Loop cofounder Josh Kastelein, Apple has created software "flags" including a general "iPad Wi-Fi" flag and a more specific "iPad 3G" to distinguish apps that will work on the different kinds of iPads. About 40 of the 16,700 certified apps are currently designated as "iPad 3G" only.

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